Today in classes I started to do training, exciting since orientation and assessments get boring. :)
In wood shop, I learned how to use a Click Rule, which is a adaptive tool for the blind to use to measure. There are 12 long bumps that go across the rod that symbolizes half inches. Then there 8 clicks in between each half inch to measure to the 16th. We use are fingers to count the inch marks and listen to the click sounds. Below is the picture of the ruler. Also, here is a link to a video that a school did to explain how to use the ruler, since I'm having a hard time explaining it in my own words without showing :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzRfV2RZTCw
Many people asked why they have wood shop as a class and think it is a silly idea and dangerous. And of course you do because we are doing it blind folded. But just imaging being in our shoes and being able to accomplish working a power tool or even being able to measure a piece of wood. The measuring may seem small, but it something that we can do without having to ask someone for help. It is all about feeling independent and not having to rely on others for everything. It is a good feeling for us, a sense of a small accomplishment. It gives us confidence and makes us rethink that nothing is impossible, we just have to try it and make adjustment for it to work. Making adjustments, doesn't mean we are not capable, and it doesn't mean that we can't do the job as good as a visual person. You have to give us a chance and show that even with adjustments we can do the job just as well.
Below is the link to the commission's website about the industrial arts class.
http://www.icbvi.state.id.us/industrial_arts.aspx
In orientation and mobility we have just worked on cane technique and learned the walk to Winco, not blind folded so I can find it on my own if need be.
ADL, activities of daily living, I started to learn how to feel and identify which measuring cup is which and same with tablespoons and teaspoons. I learned how to place my hand on the measuring cups to feel for the liquid, tomorrow will be practice day with real thing. We were shown ways to get oil or vanilla without pouring. Their solution is keeping the oils/vanilla in a small tight lid Tupperware bowl and taking a pair of metal tablespoons/teaspoons and bending the spoon part until it is level. Then, it is kind of like a ladle and you dip it into the bowl of your liquid instead of pouring. Smart idea I think! Never would have thought of it! Also, another tip they gave was when we are pouring anything other than liquid that we place the cup in a bowl so we can funnel the extra stuff back into the container and not waste it.
Braille class, I started over on Grade One which is the alphabet. I am on letter R now. It has been good to refresh my memory on them, but also to retrain my fingers how each of the dots feel. Each letter is called a Braille Cell and each cell consist of six dots, a series of dots creates a letter. It is hard to feel the bumps to determine what letter it is since they are so close together. It is hard to not "scrub" with my finger up, down, left, right just to figure it out. When reading Braille you are suppose to lightly touch the dots with a finger from left to right. All I can say is...FRUSTRATING! It is the hardest class next to mobility. Hopefully the touch will become easier as I keep practicing.
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| The Dark Dots Represent Letter |
Computer class, I am learning all the short cut keys on the keyboard so I don't have to use the mouse. The reason for this is so I can use the program called JAWs or Magic which is a screen reader. You use keyboard strokes to work your computer and listen to the program so you know where you are on the screen without looking at it. The use of the keyboard strokes are also faster than using the mouse.
That is my update for now!